Help’s on the Way to Storm-Torn Islands

Later this month and next, teams of volunteers will ship out with the Maine Seacoast Mission and travel to several remote outer islands to help clean up areas hit hard by two storms in January and a third that battered the coast in early March.

From March 19 to 21, volunteers will visit Frenchboro, and Great and Little Cranberry islands. Then, April 12 to 14 volunteers from Sigma Kappa Sorority’s Northeastern University chapter will travel to Matinicus, according to a release from the Mission.

The Mission’s 74-foot vessel Sunbeam, and the Beal & Bunker’s mailboats Sea Queen or Double B, will provide transportation.

In announcing the cleanup efforts, organziers said, “Immediately following the January 10th and 13th storms, the Mission traveled to select islands aboard Sunbeam to assess how communities were faring. Some of the damage seen—which islanders still are contending with—include loss and/or damage to personal property, damage to community and business infrastructure, soil and coastline erosion, and ocean debris washed ashore. During the three-day venture, Mission staff and a guest from nonprofit partner Island Institute collected 20 contractor bags of debris in addition to connecting with residents and business owners.”

According to John Zavodny, the Mission’s president, “The Mission has worked with Maine islands for going on 120 years. Following the storms, we wanted to show our continued support and do whatever we could to help, like the Mission has always done. These trips also provide an opportunity for volunteers to do something to help their island neighbors and learn more about these amazing communities.”